eating me alive - miracles of modern science

so, a couple weeks ago, i gushed about a band who i thought was a mix between the smiths and mozart - which, to me, was imaginatively alluring and like auditory ear candy. today, i'm back with another mix of classical sounds with modern music - this time, though, i'd have to go with somebody else's assessment that miracles of modern science sound a bit like a mix between bowie and bartok.







can i just say how much i like this trend of classical meets modern?



ANYWAY. about the band - which goes by MOMS (an acronym that i find utterly endearing) - first formed at princeton with a bunch of orchestra and jazz band players. which makes sense, since their sound is all classical plugged into amps. it's very nifty, indeed, because traditional instruments ought to be heard more outside of orchestra halls, you know?



eating me alive, the single off their upcoming LP, dog years, is a lot of fun. the strings are totally prevalent, which make a nice anchor alongside bouncy drums. i dare you to sit still during this one.



(mp3) eating me alive by miracles of modern science



while you're at it, have a listen to tensity:







here's the group doing an acoustic version of luminol:







honestly, peeps. don't you just totally dig how they're using classical instruments to make songs like they are? LOVE IT.



dog tales, the album eating me alive is off of, will be available this fall on MOMS' bandcamp site. go HERE to check it out.

empty promises - napoleon in rags

so, napoleon in rags, a four-piece from the UK, has a very interesting sound to them that mixes both punk and indie-rock. they've also got a hint of 80's style guitars, which makes for a very likable sound, indeed.







empty promises, the song that will propel the band's upcoming single, is dark and angsty. all about the frustrations behind hollow promises given and the apparent unequal feelings between lovers, it's got a nice juxtaposition between the choruses and the rest of the song. the chorus lends the smallest bit of hope, even as the narrator laments how empty promises are meaningless, but then, as an afterthought, the song devolves back into the frenetic rush associated with resentment. it's an intriguing thing to listen to, how they've managed to capture emotions so easily in their music.



and i will wait for you

so you should wait there too

but empty promises

empty promises

mean nothing to me



(mp3) empty promises by napoleon in rags



for some bizarre reason, i cannot, for the life of me, get the soundcloud player for empty promises and its two remixes to embed here. so please head HERE to have a listen to (and/or download!) them. the VIMES remix, in particular, is totally worth your listen!



check out the video for empty promises below:







the empty promises single will be released on september 9 via humming records/rough trade. the band is currently at work on their upcoming LP.

red gtr. (robin guthrie version) - the cinema twin

so, let me introduce you to the cinema twin, a new collaborative project between childhood acquaintances zollie maynard and jason chimonides. named after a movie theatre the duo both frequented at kids, the band has backgrounds both in music and drama.







it's dreamy stuff that they're crafting, friends.



today i want to share with you a remix of the band's red gtr. - which is, in its own right, an excellent song. but the remix, done by robin guthrie of cocteau twins?



well, you've got to hear it to understand.



the song, which is all about the futile feelings of desperation and the subsequent blaming of one's problems on anything but the matter at hand, is lovely, wistful and thought-provoking.



someone stole my red gtr.

so then i got a black gtr.

i can't pray for its return

only for the world to burn



someone stole my vibraphone

i feel nothing - i'm a ghost

someone broke this microphone

now my voice is not my own



think i blew my amplifier

empty cabinet, strip the wires

at one with all nothingness

loneliness crushes your chest



let's take it from the top

got my words mixed up

take it from the top now

got my words mixed up

came in on the wrong note

but i just can't give up on us

upon us...



take it from the top

words mixed up

take it from the top now

got my words mixed up

take it from the wrong...

got my words mixed up

words mixed up



then i found this free gtr.



(mp3) red gtr. (robin guthrie version) by the cinema twin



and now have a listen to the original red gtr.:







buy the three song red gtr. single HERE.

wordless music post #46

find/buy this print at etsy HERE.



(mp3) where do i begin by the chemical brothers

video for a saturday - cottleston pie

so...i'm piggybacking on yesterday's muppet (and a.a. milne) post. can you tell that my kids have been innudating our household with muppet goodness lately?



like halfway down the stairs, cottleston pie is also an a.a. milne creation - this time, however, it's specific to winnie the pooh. ridiculous in that it makes no sense in a way all too familiar to parents of small children, it's also utterly endearing.



i suppose i'm feeling all sorts of sentimental lately with these trips down memory lane...



Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,

A fly can't bird, but a bird can fly.

Ask me a riddle and I reply

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.



Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,

Why does a chicken? I don't know why.

Ask me a riddle and I reply

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.



Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie,

A fish can't whistle and neither can I.

Ask me a riddle and I reply

Cottleston Cottleston Cottleston Pie.









back to non-kid songs tomorrow!

flashback friday - halfway down the stairs

so, i completely realize that today's song isn't what you'd normally expect here. it's, well - a kid's song, plus i'm not linking an mp3, but featuring a video instead.



however! it is by THE MUPPETS, and thereby, inherently, awesome.



when i was a kid, i was totally enamored with the muppets. i watched them on tv all the time, saw the movies, and had their albums. my favorite, of course, was the eponymous muppet show album which was a conglomeration of greatest hits. and my sentimental favorite was always halfway down the stairs.



for those of you who don't readily recognize it, this song, sung by kermit's nephew robin, is actually an a.a. milne poem. you know, the guy who created winnie the pooh? and it's a lovely poem, so sweet and so utterly childlike. as a kid, the concept of the halfway point was quite alluring in that it was a safe spot. kids gravitate to those, you know? and as an adult, i can appreciate the simplicity and imagery that the poem lends itself to. i even reference it in one of my books, during a particularly angsty moment.



lots of people - even muppets - have sang this song, but i think the gold standard has to be robin's version simply because he is a kid, and thereby exudes the innocence necessary to truly impart the poem's implications.









Halfway down the stairs

Is a stair where I sit:

There isn't any other stair quite like it.

I'm not at the bottom,

I'm not at the top:

So this is the stair where I always stop.



Halfway up the stairs

Isn't up, and isn't down.

It isn't in the nursery, it isn't in the town:

And all sorts of funny thoughts

Run round my head:

"It isn't really anywhere! It's somewhere else instead!"









by the way, a new muppet movie is on its way! i'm so jazzed to see it with my kids, who already love those puppety hijinks. check it out in november.

video diary for DCFC/FR show at the greek

so, be warned: there will be general gushing and fangirl babble in this here post. why? because i'm recapping seeing my two favorite bands on the same night - frightened rabbit and death cab for cutie.



when i heard that frabbits were opening for DCFC, i think i did one of those snoopy dance of joy jigs. even better - it was at the greek, which is a really cool LA venue, surrounded by trees. it's like a mini hollywood bowl, and there really aren't any crappy seats in the house.



SO. first up are frightened rabbit. sort of slays me that more people didn't come early to listen to them. i think they'll eventually kick themselves, thinking, "i had a chance to see frightened rabbit, and instead drove late to miss traffic?" because, as any reader of this blog knows, the sun pretty much rises and sets on this band for me. so, so good.







note on my personal videos - the crazy thing is that we actually had really great seats, but my iphone's video makes it look like we're in the nosebleed section. ah well.



anyway, here's scottish wind:







whoever shot this video was right up against the stage. yes, you can see frabbit faces! enjoy the loneliness and the scream:







they also shot my backwards walk. which, OMG, was such a gorgeous, haunting version. lovelovelovelovelove. makes me want to weep, it's so fabulous:







on to death cab for cutie...







the husband asked me later on if i liked this show or the one we saw at the hollywood bowl a few years back now better. truth be told, i am apparently easily dazzled, because with fireworks and the hollywood bowl orchestra, that show reigns in my mind as one of the best, EVER, DCFC or no, but this one here was pretty damn awesome. there were a bunch of screens behind the band that showed bokeh, driving and fire effects, which nicely highlighted their music. plus, ben gibbard is inherently extremely likable, whatwith his earnest voice, unaffected bouncy shuffle/dancing. some highlights:



here's our video of long division:







my favorite DCFC song, transatlanticism wasn't as visually tear triggering as it had been with fireworks at the bowl, but still swoon-worthy:







okay, OKAY. this vid is from philly and not from the show i went to. BUT, we looked like giants was so chill-producing, i had to find a copy of it to share with y'all. the middle? GAH. GAH. GAH. i'm not kidding about the chills. what a freaking amazing song live:







did you just die there, listening to that? well, live, it's a million times better!



just found out the DCFC is coming to pomona, which is just in my backyard! woooo! obviously, the husband and i are going to try for tickets.



buy codes and keys, death cab for cutie's latest album, HERE. then, if you're going to make one of the tour stops, make sure you pick up a frightened rabbit EP (which is only available at the shows!). is it worth it? HELLS YEAH.

st. croix - family of the year

so, as a gen-xer growing up in southern california, there was only one place to go for alternative or indie music - KROQ. it was, in its heyday, the granddaddy of all excellent music - plenty of bands that regular radio either shunned or never had heard of. you weren't going to hear def leppard or madonna here - nope, instead you got the smiths, sugarcube and the cult.



it was awesome.



over the years, KROQ became...less than what it once was. it stopped being edgy and interesting in its musical selection. metallica, sublime (WHY, GOD, WHY?!?) and the offspring entered the rotation and...NEVER. EVER. WENT. AWAY. listening to KROQ today is like listening to the KROQ of two years ago. or five years ago. or, hell, ten. i turned it on the other day in the car just to see if there was anything to write home about and MY GOD it was the same stupid crap as always.



so i turned it off.



HOWEVER. as trite as KROQ has become over the years, it does have options for music aficionados looking for something other than *shudder* sublime (damn, i'm so shamed that one came from my home town). for one, rodney on the roq is still alive and kicking (although relegated to the dead of night). dude knows his tunes, is what i have to say. and there's also a program called locals only, which highlights - um - local, socal bands.



and i like that. because southern california has lots of interesting music to offer.



case in point, family of the year, who have been featured and ranked on locals only. the band, who actually come from as far away as wales and florida and as close as the OC, have a very nouveau-americana sound that mixes pop and folk in a really likable way.







in advance of their upcoming new EP, family of the year has released st. croix, and utterly affable, summery tune. give it a listen:



you bring the ocean

i bring the motion

together we'll make a love potion

you bring the ocean

i bring the motion

dancing all night in slow motion



St. Croix by Family of the Year



here they are, performing st. croix at a locals only show at the roxy:







want to see family of the year live? check out one of the following dates:



9/6 – San Francisco, CA @ Independent*

9/7 – Los Angeles, CA @ Troubadour*

9/8 – Phoenix, AZ @ Martini Ranch*

9/9 – Las Vegas, NV @ Hard Rock Café*

9/10 – Bakersfield, CA @ B Ryders*

9/25 – Venice, CA @ Abbot Kinney Festival

9/28 – Portland, OR @ Group Love#

9/30 – Seattle, WA @ The Vera Project#

10/1 – Vancouver, BC @ Electric Owl#



* = w/ VIVA Brother



# = w/ Grouplove



the st. croix EP will be released on september 27th via tinyOGRE entertainment.

album review: mr. sam presents the bandana splits

so, i've finally had a chance to listen to the bandana splits new album, mr. sam presents the bandana splits. i've talked about the band a couple of times now in the last few weeks, but i'm back with an official review because i'm still heavily crushing on their tunes. and as well i should, because the girls who make up the group (annie nero, dawn landes, and lauren balthrop) have crafted an album that just screams fun and good times.







for those of you who don't know who they are, the bandana splits are a three-part harmony group who pays homage to the girl bands of the 50's and 60's. cheeky and bouncy in their tunes and dress (oh, such cute vintage-inspired outfits!), the girls have perfected the blending of their voices against what can only be described as addictive candy-inspired music. mr. sam presents the bandana splits is an album that can't help but be inherently likable - it's sunny and warm, the kind of album you can tell was fun to make. and that makes a difference - because, i think, if the musicians doing it are having a good time, it shows (oasis, you could take note here). and when it shows, it makes listening to the songs all the more enjoyable.



some highlights:



* lavez vous - okay. i know i say this word a lot in conjunction with this band, but god. is this song adorable. apparently all three girls have lived in france at some point, and this is their "french" song. GOODNESS. if you dislike it, well... you're a scrooge. i learned to speak french/from beauty products/that my mom gave to me



* stay if you wanna - the stinkin' highly-likable song from saturday's video. HOLY COW is this one beyond cute. the girls' voices are pitch perfect here in their three-part harmonies, and the ukulele is absolutely spot on for the song. listen to this one if you want audio happiness. sugar drops and candy canes and lemon pie/when we're together/you're my guy



* hold on - so sultry and gorgeous. slow and steady, like lapping waves, hold on is definitely the epitome of an excellent date song. love is something to hold on to/for those long summer nights/when the air is just right/hold on



* baby talkin' (the shoo wop song) - utterly reminiscent of the 50's, it's totally infectious in that you'll find yourself unable to sit still during its bouncy refrains. or stop singing shoo wop.



* desert love - a bit different than the others here, it's got more of a hippie undercurrent running alongside a bit of native american sounding chanting (or rather, singing style). walking through the desert/when i saw your face in a cloud/didn't know if i was dreaming/but i spoke to you out loud/desert love



* all you gotta do is fall in love - a bit sad in comparison to some of the more cheery offerings on the album, this song is still filled with sugary, lovely vocals that can't help but captivate. the piano bits are perfect for the melancholy wistfulness. wouldn't it be sweet/if you could be in love with me?/the way i'm in love with you/it's so easy to do



download sometimes - you can read my review of this song HERE.



(mp3) sometimes by the bandana splits



because i luuurrve this song, you get a video of lavez vous:









buy mr. sam presents the bandana splits HERE.

wordless music post #45

find/buy this print at etsy HERE.



(mp3) white rabbit (jefferson airplane cover) by emiliana torrini

video for a saturday - the bandana splits on btr

so, remember how i introduced you to the bandana splits a week or so back? well, today i have a great video for you to watch with them performing their fabulous three part harmonies on break through radio in new york. the ukulele bits (which piggyback on tuesday's ukulele love post)? hot dog, do i like these girls' music. so stinkin' cute.

Bandana Splits - Serious Business on BTR [ep39] from BreakThru Radio TV on Vimeo.

buy mr. sam presents the bandana splits HERE. i'll have a review of it up on monday the 22nd!

interview - alyssa graham

so, i recently got a chance to listen to singer-songwriter alyssa graham's upcoming EP lock, stock & soul. it's a lovely EP, filled with plenty on intriguing sounds (think folk, rock, country and more) that easily compliment alyssa's sweet sounding vocals.







alyssa was kind enough to answer some questions for me about her influences, the decision to become an artist, and what's up next for her:



have you met heather: what inspired you to become a singer-songwriter?



alyssa graham: There were certainly a few moments in my childhood that really influenced me musically. The first one I can think of is a time period when I was obsessively listening to the musical Really Rosie on vinyl. Really Rosie was based on a Maurice Sendak book that he and Carole King (one of my idols) turned into a musical. I listened to that record until it skipped all the way through. I knew every single lyric. There was a song called Screaming and Yelling on the record that I sang all the time and drove my brother nuts, "It takes personality, a lot of personality to make them see it my way. It takes personality, more personality to turn twelve boring hours into a fascinating day. I can do it, that's a fact, I can do it, don't you see and I'll do it all for free. Do you know, can you guess who I simply have to be, stop screaming and yelling and screaming and yelling... the enchanted one that's me" or something like that. After I grew out of that record a bit, I of course moved on to Carole King's >"Tapestry." Her style really led me down a musical path and introduced me to the great tradition of singer-songwriters. I started playing the piano and tried to write songs about anything I was feeling at the time. Then my parents and my brother introduced me to Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Carly Simon, Neil Young. My brother played the guitar and since I always wanted to do everything my big brother did, I started playing guitar too. That's when I knew I was going to be a singer-songwriter... I was hooked. I learned every Neil Young song from my favorite album On The Beach and then I started collaborating with my brother's friends who all played guitar. One of those friends was Doug Graham who has been my musical partner and the love of my life ever since.



hymh: you started out with a deal with a major label but eventually walked away. why?



alyssa: I walked away from a negotiation that was leading down a path I didn't want to go. It was exciting to think of having a major label career and there are of course a lot of benefits that go along with having major label support. However, I'm a pretty simple girl and I like to keep the songwriting and the delivery simple. Let's just say, they didn't share that vision. In my humble opinion, a good song doesn't need a parade, it just needs an honest voice. I'm not saying there isn't good music out there being made by the majors and/or by people who have a more elaborate sound or presentation. But, for me it wasn't right. I love playing songs that are personal and sharing them in an intimate setting with an audience who really wants to listen and be part of the experience. Sunnyside Records, the Indie label we are now on, is wonderful. They truly believe in their artists and trust them to make the music they want to make. I may not be playing the Tonight Show anytime soon or have my face plastered on a billboard in Time Square but I'm free to be the artist I want to be and that feels really good.



hymh: your sound is quite lovely and eclectic, with lots of different genres mixing together. what are some of your influences?



alyssa: Well, thank you for the nice compliment first and foremost. There is so much amazing music out there and so much that has influenced us over the years that I guess when we write all of it pours out. I never understood the need for genres or compartmentalizing music. We listen to everything from Hank Williams to Bjork to Serge Gainsbourg to Wilco. From The Kinks to Billie Holiday to Nirvana to Joao Gilberto. I have never heard music that has been made in a vacuum without the influence of other music. In other words, I think it is part of artistic growth and development to genre surf. Every great artist is influenced by a multitude of other artists and sounds. We can't create in a vacuum. If we just listened to one type of music we would be missing out. I think it's ok to blend and bleed and defy musical genres. So, I take your comment as a true compliment. Personally, I would say one of my greatest influences is Neil Young. He taught me so much about feel. His songs are simple and honest and most of all when he sings a song you believe him. Doug and I have a joke... whenever Neil sings a song like On The Beach (one of our favorites) and he croons a line like, "All my pictures are fallin' from the wall where I placed them yesterday. The world is turnin', I hope it don't turn away" we say out loud, "oh Neil, it's gonna be ok man. it's all going to be alright." We believe him and we feel like we're right there with him. That's the mark of a powerful song and Neil has so many of them.



hymh: three of the songs on lock, stock & soul are original and one is a grateful dead cover. What inspired you to choose the songs you did for the EP?



alyssa: We wanted to give the listener a well rounded experience of what the LP was going to sound like. Honestly, I tried to stay out of that process, that is of choosing which songs would go on the EP and be released first and which would go on the LP. Each and every song is part of my soul so picking and choosing is just impossible. Sure, there are songs that are more fun to play or songs that I'm more in the mood for at a certain moment but each of them are equally meaningful to me and to have to choose between them would be too difficult. So, I pretty much try and leave that up to our team. I think those decisions need to be made by people who have more distance from the actual creative process. Part of the thinking was, give them a taste but don't give away too much because there is so much more to come. I love food so I like to think of the EP as an amuse-bouche, something not ordered from the menu but rather the chef's selection meant to excite the taste buds and to offer a glimpse into the chef's approach while preparing the guests for the main course.



hymh: any plans to tour?



alyssa: Yes. Dates will be announced shortly. You can check our website at: http://www.alyssagraham.com. We are going to do a small exclusive preview tour this Fall, probably 10 shows or so. Then a full tour after the LP comes out in January. We can't wait. Writing and recording is always an amazing experience but getting out there and playing for the fans is the most rewarding and the most fun for us.



hymh: what's up next for you?



alyssa: Doug and I have been writing a great deal of new material. Some of which we will also bring out on the road with us and start working into the repertoire. However, for now our plan is to swim in the sea that is Lock, Stock & Soul. There is so much to explore and so much to learn about these tunes still and that all happens on the road and on the stage. I love experiencing each of these tunes live as they always morph and grow and as musicians and artists we grow with them. Sharing this music with the fans is the greatest "high time" we can score!



have a listen to the lovely watching the sky:



Watching The Sky by Alyssa Graham by hymh



the lock, stock & soul EP will be released on august 23 via sunnyside records. you can pre-order it HERE.

bad wine and lemon cake - the jane austen argument

so, i'm piggybacking on yesterday's post, which was about amanda palmer but had a mention of the jane austen argument. in fact, i'm featuring today one of the songs i put up yesterday, only yesterday's version featured amanda palmer and this one is pure jane austen argument.



whew. got all that?



i think what's drawn me to this australian duo is that they are so plaintively earnest with their morosely beautiful piano-anchored music. you're not going to find blasé lyrics that could be regurgitated out of just any pop singer out there today - no, these lyrics, which can be haunting or caustic, are just as thought-provoking as the music that accompanies them is simple yet lovely.







bad wine and lemon cake is something of an utter delight for me, musically. the version with amanda palmer featured yesterday was great - amanda's got a great voice that adds a little something-something to it, but this original band version is just so bitterly heartbreaking in its simplicity that it sorts of forces its listener to sort of sit down, hard, and marvel at how it makes you want to tear up even though it has nothing remotely to do with you (or at least, i hope that's the case!).



i have a little house

close to town, but not to the city

far from home, but near my family

no water views, but so close to the sea

i see

this is how my little life could be…



and i’m filling it with things

like furniture i find on the street

and all the special things i’d like to eat

pictures of people that i’d like to meet

i’ll meet them when i’m orbiting the world…



… and it’s so pretty…

… and so lonely…



my lovely love affairs

are all scheduled ‘round the TV guide

and my sex life has all been plagiarised

in an attempt to meet a harsh deadline…



i’d like to rent-a-wife

then rent a husband to keep her for life

the three of us, we could be so happy

(them with each other, me with company)

i’ll see them off on a flight around the world…



… and it’s so pretty…

… and so lonely…

i could just die

i might just die



… and at my funeral

they will say ‘tom, he was such a nice guy’

‘he went too early, but he went in style’

‘they’ll play my music and then they will cry’



they’ll have a little wake

they’ll drink bad wine and they’ll eat lemon cake

and my mother’s little heart will break

and she’ll say:

‘wait! there must be some mistake

- he can’t be dead

take me instead!!!’



oh but i’m not dead

they tell me i’m not dead

they say that i’m not dead

and i won’t die for some time…



i’m in my little house

just writing little songs to pass the time

which (incidentally) is precisely nine

so don’t you worry, i’m completely fine

i’m fine

i am just so fucking fine



god. see what i mean? so, so heartbreaking.







here's a video of the band performing the song live. PLUS, it's got an accordion! so perfect!







buy the birthing pyre, the jane austen argument's debut EP, HERE. additionally, the band is fundraising for their upcoming LP, somewhere under the rainbow. go HERE to donate to the cause.

the ukulele delights of amanda palmer

so, i feel like lately i've been mentioning a lot of instruments that i don't think get their fair due in the music industry nowadays. because, let's face it peeps, in order to get a standard band nowadays, you need: a lead singer, some guitarists, a bassist, and a drummer. a keyboardist is nice, but one of the guys already mentioned sometimes serves this dual purpose. so it always feels like a real treat when another instrument appears in a song i like - it's like...toppings on ice cream. something special, you know?



a truncated list of instruments i dig but hear far too rarely: piano (not keyboard - old school piano), accordion, banjo, xylophone, glockenspiel, and the ukulele.



yes, the ukulele.



i know what you're thinking - what, that tiny little guitar that's used in hawaiian music? and the answer is - yup. that's the one. it's cute, it's got a great sound that is simple (it's hard to distort a ukulele), and it's got far more to offer the music world than just hawaiian songs.



case in point - amanda palmer's use of the ukelele to cover some of radiohead's most popular songs.



and yes - you read that right. radiohead. done with a ukulele.







some of you may recognize amanda's name - she used to front the punk-cabaret group the dresden dolls, plus she's worked with ben folds and neil gaimon on who killed amanda palmer.



rather than sounding kitchy, the ukulele, in amanda palmer's capable hands, transforms into moody melancholia. radiohead's music inevitably lends itself to this, of course, but so does amanda's voice and the pacing she sets with her instrument.



i know that radiohead claims they hate fake plastic trees. but damn, if it doesn't sound morosely lovely here:







that album cover? LOVE IT. makes me think of south pacific. which, i know, ties into the whole hawaiian bit, but c'mon. i'm contrary like that.



now, this song doesn't have the ukulele but it does feature the PIANO (hooray!) and only the piano. it's simply beyond charming. and, she's singing with the jane austen argument. MY GOD. can anyone resist a band named that?



don't bother answering, because i'll do it for you. NO, NO THEY CANNOT.







back to the radiohead stuff. here's a video for no surprises:

Amanda Palmer - "No Surprises" Animated Music Video from Amanda Palmer on Vimeo.

buy amanda palmer performs the popular hits of radiohead on her magical ukulele for all of a single buck HERE. amanda palmer goes down under, the album bad wine and lemon cake is off of, can be bought HERE for a whopping 69 cents.

writing my name (on the back of your hand) - the glue ensemble

so, i caved this year and got myself a twitter account. i felt like i was dragged kicking and screaming to it, in a way, after maligning it to the husband and others for at least a good year. "what's the point?" i'd wonder. "so few words" - which, of course, is hard for a compulsive babbler like myself. and yet, here i am, with a twitter account, and you know what? i tweet and even enjoy it. it's like an addictive outlet to just spew any non-sequitur that pops into my mind. and friends, i have a lot of those.



one thing that bugs me, though, is the concept of auto-following, which i think i've ranted about on here before. for you peeps who don't tweet (just you wait, guys, just. you. wait.), it's basically the concept of following someone solely to get them to follow you. and if that person DOESN'T follow you, you unfollow them. it's sort of like an internet way of saying, "i really don't give a rat's ass about who you are or what you have to say, or anything at all about you, but i do care about that little number you can give me up on the sidebar." which is...i dunno, bizarre and...perhaps a bit insecure? i just don't get it. i honestly don't ever follow anyone for the sole purpose of getting them to follow me. i follow people, in general, because i either: a) want to read what they have to say, b) want to support their music and want to hear news about their releases, or c) want to support fellow authors and want to hear news about their releases. seems simple to me, really.



ANYWAY (you all knew i was prone to babbling, so you can't really be surprised that it's taken me so long to get to the point here) - to make a long story a wee bit shorter, i stumbled across an intriguing band due to what i'm assuming is the wretched concept of auto-following. meaning - they followed me for less than 24 hours and then unfollowed me when i didn't immediately jump on the bandwagon. which is...a bit amusing, honestly, because i actually DO find their music quite lovely and am happy to share it here today with you all (presuming, of course, you've made it this far in the diatribe).



the glue ensemble is, in this opinion, steampunkish in that it combines mozart-esque (or, rather, bach-ish ones, ala jesu joy of man's desire) strings, a jane austen/regency england atmosphere, and smiths-like lyrics. the band describes themselves as thus: Alternative Acoustic music from London and Paris. Heartbreakingly beautiful but still civilised, like teatime at a funeral.







to say they are different than a lot of the bands out there today is to put it mildly. and that's part of what makes them utterly delightful to listen to. expect swoon-worthy strings (bass, viola, violin and cello), heartfelt lyrics and melodies that can't help but charm. and that's really the thing about the glue ensemble's music - it's so frigging charming.



and the most charming song of all has to be writing my name (on the back of your hand). it starts off sounding like a string quartet performance and only builds on its artistic beauty from there. i simply adore it. fellow jane austen-ites, can't you see captain wentworth digging this one in some steampunk version? so pull out your favorite black tea (pox on all of you green tea lovers, i just can't wrap my mind around you at all) and kick back to this gorgeous song:



you walk in the room and everything stops -



the silence carves grooves that ache for the needle to drop



and over the shame we can't bear to name.

oh, you are the shoes I can't fill but the same

you pinch my feet inch by inch by inch

by inch by inch by inch by inch



so why do you think it's changed?

why do you think it's changed?

when those moments of clarity run like mascara in rain

why do you think it's changed?



you walk in the room and the music goes on.

is there someone you recognise written into this song, this song, this song, this song?



because almost as planned you're too drunk to stand.

you know this place like the back of my hand,

but you stumble and fall

because you know nothing at all.



so why do you think... etc



oh the window was wide

and the night slipped inside

to lie cold by your side

like the words you denied,

like the number you regret

but cannot forget.



there's stains on your arms

and marks on your palms -

to write love on your wrist

how could i resist?

the engine is running, the radio is on

is there someone you know, written in this song?



because i'm writing my name on the back of your hand

you look at me but you don't understand.



i'm writing my name on the back of your hand

you look at me - but you don't understand.



i'm writing my name on the back of your hand

you look at me - but you don't understand?



I'M WRITING MY NAME ON THE BACK OF YOUR HAND

YOU LOOK AT ME - BUT YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND!



so why do you think it's changed?

why do you think it's changed?

why do you think we've changed

when those moments of clarity run like mascara in rain...



you walk in the room and everything stops.







buy teatime at a funeral, the EP writing my name (on the back of your hand) is off of, HERE. it's only 99 pence. honestly, peeps. less than a pound for the entire EP. it's practically a steal!

wordless music post #44

find/buy this print at etsy HERE.



(mp3) let's get lost by beck and bats for lashes

video for a saturday - welcome home

so, fyi, YES, i have already blogged about this song before, but i didn't put the video up for it. so THERE.



besides, radical face deserves lots of love, anyways. he's so bloody good and i have such musical crushes on his songs.







buy ghost, the album welcome home is off of, HERE.

interview: pearl and the beard

so, it's already august (seriously - where HAS this year gone?!) and i've begun to think about my top ten albums of the year. it's a tough thing for me, because i'm more typically attracted to singles rather than entire albums, but there are a few that are already sticking out as favorites.



one of those is pearl and the beard's lovely killing the darlings, which i've fangirl babbled about on here several times now (go HERE to read my complete review). the band, which consists of the trio of jocelyn mackenzie, emily hope price and jeremy styles, crafts eclectic and delightful music that defies genre labelling with a wide variety of equally diversified instruments (you won't find the standard guitar / keyboard / drums only equation here).







(photo via shervinfoto.com)



two members of the group, jocelyn mackenzie and jeremy styles, were kind enough recently to answer some questions for me about the band, their creative process, and what's up next for them.



have you met heather: what's the story behind how the three of you formed pearl and the beard?



jocelyn mackenzie: We met at different open mic nights... Pete's Candy Store in Brooklyn and Sidewalk Cafe in Manhattan. Just goes to show you you never know who you're gonna meet at the open mic night! Keep on going if you're starting to doubt yourself, young ones.



hymh: and...where did the name pearl and the beard come from?



jeremy styles: There is no Pearl or Beard, only the ones being created through our songs. The name just came from our dome pieces.



hymh: I must admit I'm utterly intrigued and delighted by how your music is so eclectic. Some songs have a very bluesy feel while others seem best suited to fairy tales. Where do you find the inspirations for your songs?



jeremy: I've been happy about that as well. It's not a conscious effort on our parts to write so many different types of songs. Each song we approach just comes out that way because that is what we were wanting to create at the time. From the beginning of this band we've never wanted to be pigeon-holed. Since we're all individual song writers that have come together a lot of people ask, "What makes a Pearl and the Beard song?" - and the answer is simply if all three of us like something that we start working on, then we put it into our musical repertoire and eventually record it. What happens then unconsciously is that we've created a mix tape of sorts. A mix tape of music made by the same band. Avant-Death-Gyro-Core? If Jeremy, Emily and Jocelyn like it, we write the thing. It's simple, and it's fun. It allows us to write what we want and not feel tethered to one particular sound because that's what we're "supposed" to be. We are three very different people, who are friends and we have different lives and experiences that effect us in unique ways. You mix that together in the pot of music with our abilities and skills and you're gonna get God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson, Black Vessel, and Killing the Darlings to date.



hymh: what is the writing process usually like? is it a collaborative effort between the three of you, or do certain songs come from certain people?



jocelyn: Any way you can imagine that a group could write a song, we do it. Some are brought as complete songs to the table by one band member or the other and then finely tuned by the other two, some are equal three-part collaborations, some are just two of us working together, some are old songs that we splice together in a sort of song kabob, some come out of just jamming. Whatever a particular song needs, that's what we do. It's not about ego.



hymh: one of the things i really like about your music is the diverse collection of instruments you use, in particular the glockenspiel and the cello (both of which i feel ought to be used more in music nowadays). what drew you to the instruments you use? any others you consider bringing into your music?



jocelyn: It all depends on what a song needs, but also what is available to us. We like to make the most out of what we have. For example on Vessel (from our first album, God Bless Your Weary Soul, Amanda Richardson), I have a part that I play on melodica that I wrote because there happened to be one floating around the apartment I was living in at that time. But had we had an accordion or a tuba available, maybe it would have been an accordion or tuba part. That being said, the song will tell you what it wants, so if we need to be creative and go out of our comfort zone to accommodate a song's needs, that's what we do.



hymh: killing the darlings is a fantastic album (one I've had on repeat for awhile now). what was the process like for you guys to create it?



jocelyn: Thank you! Working with Franz Nicolay and Dan Brennan as a double-power super-producer team was a dream come true. Both brought completely different yet completely harmonizing ideas and inspirations to the table, and both were streamlined, organized and on point. It was like working with two robot sharks, in the best possible way.



hymh: any particular songs (new or old) that are favorites of yours to perform?



jocelyn: I personally love performing "The Lament of Coronado Brown," because I don't sing for most of the song and I get to just listen to Jeremy and Emily's gorgeous voices blend together. It gives me chills every time to hear those two. "Douglas Douglass" is always fun though, too, because we can really connect with the crowd during that one when everyone is stomping and clapping along with us.



[ed. note: douglas douglass was recently remixed by the comedy/rap duo snakes to create whole bunch of chicken - go HERE to check it out.]



hymh: any plans to tour beyond the east coast this year?



jeremy: We're embarking on a South / Midwest tour from 8/12 - 9/9, so check our website to see if you can catch us! But other things are definitely in the works, and our hope is to get all over the world. As far as this year goes realistically, we'll see. We want to go out there, and we're doing the best that we can to meet everyone out there and play for them and share in this musical experience.



hymh: what can listeners expect next from pearl and the beard?



jocelyn: More and more and more and more and more.



thanks jocelyn and jeremy!



here's a list of the the band's tour dates - lucky you left coast and midwest peeps! so bummed they won't be hitting the west coast yet...



8/12/11

New York, NY

Cooper Square Hotel Penthouse



8/13/11

Shepherdstown, WV

The Mecklenburg Inn



8/14/11

Greensboro, NC

The Blind Tiger

w/ Now You See Them, Matty Sheets and the Blockheads



8/15/11

Charlotte, NC

Snug Harbor

w/ e-s guthrie



8/16/11

Lexington Avenue Brewery

w/ Rainbow Nerd and Jon Stickley Trio



8/17/11

Knoxville, TN

Preservation Pub

w/ The Stereofidelics



8/18/11

Charlottesville, VA

The Pigeon Hole

w/ poetry by Cecilia Llompart and Lex Gibson



8/21/11

Williamstown, MA

House Show



8/23/11

New York, NY

City Winery

w/ Lenka, Casey Shea and Robbie Gil



8/25/11

Chicago, IL

Darkroom

w/ Andy Lund, The Great Crusades, and Bob Dey’s Tank Engine Man



8/24/11

Youngstown, OH

The Lemon Grove



8/27/11

Cincinnati, OH

The Comet

w/ Goose



8/28/11

Madison, WI

Project Lodge



8/30/11

Columbia, MO

Mojo’s



8/31/11

St. Louis, MO

Jefferson Warehouse

w/ Spot Ons



9/1/11

Nashville, TN

3rd and Lindsley

w/ Neulore



9/2/11-9/4/11

Chillicothe, OH

Paper City Music Festival

w/ Woody Pines, Lewis Brothers and more



9/14/11

Washington, D.C.

9:30 Club

w/ David Wax Museum and Second String Band



buy killing the darlings, pearl and the beard's latest LP, HERE.

song of shadows - mondkopf

so, i think it's pretty fitting that french electronic wizard mondkopf is releasing his latest album, entitled rising doom, in october - it's quite dark. and by dark, i mean dark.







that's not to say that some moments aren't pretty (which there are - pretty sounding moments, i mean), it's just that these are some introspective - even introverted - songs that instill a bit of gloom. which is good, at times, especially on dreary days that shy away from cheery pop.



for this latest work, mondkopf reworked the idea of a rave party as both an exorcism and mystical experience. there are bits of extreme metal that scatter with melodic bangers to create a very distinct feeling of urgency. it is a bit exhausting, in a way, but definitely a very intriguing listen.



check out song of shadows, which reminds me, in a tiny way, of latter-day oingo boingo - well, oingo boingo without lyrics and horns and grating guitars and a whole lot of techno thrown in. come to think of it, that doesn't make a bit of sense written, does it? so let's put it this way: in other words, danny elfman and tim burton will probably be drawing some inspiration from this stuff!



(mp3) song of shadows by mondkopf



here's a very eerie video for day of anger, which will also be off of rising doom:







rising doom, the album song of shadows is off of, will be released on october 3rd by fool house records. go HERE to learn more about it.

starlight - rachael yamagata

so, rachael yamagata has a new single out in advance of her upcoming album chesapeake. it's been three years since her last LP, and the time has served to lighten up her previously darker, more acoustic music.







in order to record chesapeake, rachael recruited a “dream team” of musicians, including drummer victor indrizzo (who's worked with sheryl crow), guitarists mike viola (from candy butchers), michael chaves (who's worked with john mayer), and kevin salem, (who's worked with both dump truck and the fabulous yo la tengo), cellist oli kraus (who's worked with sia and duffy) and upright bassist tom freund.



here's the lead single, starlight - which might come across initially as dark in both terms of tone and lyrics, eventually lightens up in the chorus as it breaks open.



i couldn't see a thing tonight

not one star

not one star shone for you



i add a little candlelight

to get through

oh, i couldn't see the moon tonight

not one wave

not one wave was out for you

no, i couldn't see the pale moonlight

not one part

not one wave was coming through

and i'm terrified to look outside

because i need you



(mp3) starlight by rachael yamagata



want to see rachael in concert? check her out at one of the following dates:



OCTOBER

24th Portland, ME Port City Music Hall

25th Burlington, VT Higher Ground Lodge

27th Ithaca, NY Deliah’s

28th Northampton, MA Iron Horse

30th Boston, MA Brighton Music Hall

31st Philadelphia, PA World Café Live



NOVEMBER

1st Washington, DC Birchmere

2nd Baltimore, MD Sound Stage

4th Brooklyn, NY Knitting Factory

5th Pittsburgh, PA Club Café

7th Detroit, MI St Andrews Hall

8th Chicago, IL Logan Square

10th Milwaukee, WI Turner Ballroom

11th Minneapolis, MN Fine Line

12th Davenport, IA Redstone Room

14th Kansas City, KS Record Bar

16th Denver, CO Larimer Lounge

18th Salt Lake City, UT State Room

20th Spokane, WA A Club

21st Vancouver, BC Media Club

22nd Seattle, WA Crocodile

23rd Portland, OR Doug Fir

25th San Francisco, CA Slim’s

26th Santa Barbara, CA Soho Restaurant & Music Club

28th San Diego, CA Casbah

29th Los Angeles, CA Troubadour

30th Tuscon, AZ Crescent Ballroom



DECEMBER

2nd Austin, TX Parish

3rd Houston, TX Fitzgerald’s Upstairs

4th Dallas, TX The Loft

5th Tulsa, OK Cain’s Ballroom – 2nd Stage

7th St. Louis, MO Blueberry Hill

8th Nashville, TN 12th and Porter

9th Birmingham, AL Work Play

10th Atlanta, GA Vinyl

12th Knoxville, TN Relix Theatre

13th Charlotte, NC Visulite Theatre

15th Chapel Hill, NC Local 506

16th Charlottesville, VA The Southern

17th Louisville, KY Headliners

18th Columbus, OH The Basement

20th Hoboken, NJ Maxwell’s

21st New York, NY City Winery

22nd New York, NY City Winery



chesapeake, the album starlight is off of, will be released via frankenfish records on october 11th..

sometimes - the bandana splits

so, right off the bat, how can anyone resist a band called the bandana splits? especially one that pays homage to the girl bands of the 50's and 60's?



as you can expect, there's a lot of three-part harmonies to this group, mixed in with a bit of old-time rock and roll as well as mowtown influences. it's utterly innocent sounding, and yet...at the same time, not. sweet and fun, the bandana splits make you want to hang out at the local soda fountain and share a chocolate shake with somebody equally adorable.

check out sometimes, which is practically a time machine disguised as a song:

sometimes
sometimes
sometimes when you walk away and you
hold your head and don't complain and then
and hide your hands inside your sleeves
sometimes when you leave

don't go
baby, baby, put your hand in mine
don't go
baby, baby, stars are in your eyes
don't go
baby, baby, true love doesn't mind

sometimes
some night when the air is thin and then
it keeps you up and clocks are spinning
and you press your eyes and try to sleep
some time is all you need

don't go
baby, baby, put your hand in mine
don't go
baby, baby, stars are in your eyes
don't go
baby, baby, true love doesn't mind
but when i see you walk away it makes me wanna cry
so sometimes
sometimes

(mp3) sometimes by the banana splits

here's the adorably retro video:



check 'em out live during one of the following dates:

August 16 - Farmacy (Brooklyn, NY)
August 18 - The Lizard Lounge (Boston, MA)
August 27 - PICNIC Music and Arts Festival (Portland, ME)
August 31 - Piano's (New York, NY)
September 24 - Last Licks Cafe (Huntington, NY)

mr. sam presents the banana splits will be released on august 16 via boy scout records. you can pre-order it HERE.

wordless music post #43

find/buy this print at etsy HERE

(mp3) lithograph by shoot the image

video for a saturday - you were born

so, first off, you need to know that this video is in no way the official one. it's fan made. i picked it because...well...there aren't any official ones or even concert footage of this beautiful song.

cloud cult's you were born is a song that every single parent can relate to. i started listening to it during my youngest's first year, so every time i hear it, i sentimentally relate it to him now. it is sweet and heartfelt and fuzzy and all of those other things that you childless people out there are probably rolling your eyes at. me? i adore cloud cult for making this song. but then again, i adore the band in general!

you were born into a strange world
like a candle, you were meant to share the fire
i don't know where we come from, and i don't know where we go
but my arms were made to hold you, so i will never let you go
'cause you were born to change this life
you were born to chase the light
you were born

love your mother, yeah she's s good one.
she'll build you armor; keep you warm as a hen
the stars may fall and the rains may pour,
but i will love you evermore
you were born to make this right
you were born to chase the light
you were born

oh my precious, oh my love, when they come to take me,
i will hold you from above
i don't know why we're here, and i don't know how,
but i'm here with you now, i am here with you now
'cause you were born to change this life
'cause you were born to make this right
'cause you were born to chase the light



buy light chasers, the excellent album you were born is off of, HERE.

flashback friday - settling

so, around the time that lilith fair was still relevant, i got into a canadian singer-songwriter by the name of tara maclean. she had a sweet voice quite similar to the girls making folk headlines at the time - kate bush, tori amos and sarah mclachlan (which makes sense, since tara was also discovered/signed with nettwerk records) and an easy-going sound that charmed and lulled listeners in.



passenger, tara's second full length album, was something i listened to extensively when it came out. it was beautiful in a gentle way - there are no harsh sounds found within, no jarring distortions or peppy songs that can hype you up. instead, it's mellow melodies serve as a blanket and a cup of tea.

i very nearly picked the superb dry land to feature today, a song that has stood the test of time on my ipod. but after writing about it, i ended up deleting the post and decided to highlight settling instead. the reason is simple: settling is the sort of song that, due to it's quiet honesty, can become inherently relatable to any listener. it's, as many songs are, about a break-up: are the feelings the singer has real, or are they memories of what once was? are the complex and messy remnants left behind afterwards generating genuine questions about who s/he really is, or are they merely bits of angst settling like dust after a storm?

of course, it's subjective to all. but what i really liked about this song is the imagery it evokes, the feelings it inspires. tara had a way of capturing something so devastating and making it beautiful.

am i real, am i true?
am i borrowed, am i blue?
is it just the dust of leaving you
settling?

am i fair, am i strong?
when i'm there, do i belong?
is it only skin i touch when i reach for you?

the leaves, they fall
they go so far sometimes
do i blame the wind
or the tree that let it go
or do i wake goodbye?
settling

do i stay and do i fight?
is it wrong when nothing's right?
or is it just the closet light
i leave on for you

the leaves they fall
they go so far sometimes
do i blame the wind
or the tree that let it go
or do i wave goodbye?
settling

so many times i've needed you to be strong for me
but you bend beneath the slightest breeze
you have no leaves
no leaves
no leaves

settling

am i real, am i true?
do i stay and do i fight?
is it just the closet light?
is it only skin i tough
or is it just the dust
settling...

(mp3) settling by tara maclean

here is a little special of tara for canadian tv - it features a brief bio and a very lovely live version of settling:



buy passenger, the album settlingis off of, HERE.

lights in the sky - the moth and the mirror

so, as anyone who reads this knows, i am a frabbit junkie. i was well aware that lead singer scott hutchison frequently moonlights solo, but i was pleased to learn that guitarist gordon skene does, as well! he's part of the moth and the mirror, a band that is made up of artists from other bands.



and what a pedigree they have: stacey sievwright (vocals/guitars) from the reindeer section as well as arab strap, gordon skene (guitars/vocals) of frightened rabbit, louis abbott (guitars/vocals) of admiral fallow and song of return, kevin mccarvel (bass) of smoke jaguar, iain sandilands (percussion), and peter murch (drums). it's like a smorgassboard of scottish bands rolled into one!

have a listen to and/or download their very recently released single, the very dark and meloncholy lights in the sky:



stay tuned for their upcoming album via olive grove records.

whole bunch of chicken (ft pearl & the beard) by snakes

so, i've already fangirl babbled about pearl and the beard a couple times this summer. they've got a really amazing, eclectic sound that i'm totally digging. so i'm back today to share yet another pearl and the beard song today, only it's a remix this time.







and friends, it's h i l a r i o u s.



while at the heart, it's a pearl and the beard song, whole bunch of chicken (ft. pearl and the beard - a remix of douglas, douglass) truly belongs to the comedy/rap duo snakes. billy and adam, the guys behind snakes, remind me in so many good ways of flight of the conchords, who've disbanded and left a hole in the satirical music world.







the album that this song comes off of, the sleepover EP, is a pretty interesting endeavor. according to the duo's tumblr:



The parameters [to making this album] are simple.

1.Enter the studio with no lyrics written or music prepared.

2.Stay up for 24 hours making and recording music.

3.Package it, master it and share it with the world on Sunday.



and so they did.



it's so radically immature of me, but i can't help but giggle helplessly every time i listen to this song. i mean, honestly, peeps. it's about CHICKEN LOVE.



douglas douglass, apple tree

have a wife, now let her be

gimme, gimme what you've got

i'm gonna make you what you're not



the song makes you want to eat a whole bunch of chicken

pluck it outta bucket in the mornin' in the kitchen

chicken when it's lunchtime, chicken when it's brunchtime

throw your hands up if you're a fan of chicken!

i'm a fan of chicken, yeah i'm a fan of chicken!

this dude right here is a huge fan of chicken

i'm not being clear, it's me who wants the chicken

so if you're holdin' chicken, give it up

k?



douglas douglass, sticky pine,

have a wife, and that's just fine.

gimme, gimme what i need,

you know i gotsta plant your seed.





chicken and amanda

kung fu panda

didn't eat chicken, i couldn't sand her

i made demands, i took a stand

'cause i am a man and i made her eat chicken

she had a poultry allergy

almost killer her, now amanda's mad at me

her head is swollen, she looks like the letter B

so, i'm a letter B - let me eat chicken



douglas douglass, sticky bun

have a wife, and that's just fine

give me, give me what i need

you know i gotsa plant your seed



c is the letter that starts the whole word

h-i is what you say when you see that fat bird

c-k-e-n, that shit's the main event

you're vegetarian?

then i'm sorry, that's tough



life is short, throw a chicken in the air

it's a celebration, the chicken doesn't care

the chicken doesn't scare, the chicken ain't a chicken

the chicken's looking for a plain boiled ass kickin'



douglas douglass, evergreen

i've a wife, and she's so mean

gimme, gimme slotted spoons

you know i want to make you swoon



how you like your chicken?

just plain or with a kick in it?

maybe some fire hot sauce you can dip with it

you hold that chicken like a boss, you be grippin' it

you need a fork or just a stick you can stick in it

i make chicken at my home, take pictures of my phone

eat a rotisserie on my own

kill that chicken meat, and start on that chicken bone

like nina simone, i'm defecating on your chicken phone



douglas douglass, sycamore

have a wife, but she's a bore

gimme, gimme what i crave

you know i want to be your...



it's a long way down

where's my chicken? got to have my chicken!

it's a long way down

where's my chicken? got to have my chicken!

it's a long way down

where's my chicken? got to have my chicken!







buy the sleepover EP, the album whole bunch of chicken is off of, HERE. you can download it for free, or offer up some money if you're feeling generous (which you really ought to do, because it's worth it!).

interview: angela correa of correatown

so, after being charmed by correatown's fabulous EP etch the line, i got the chance to ask lead singer angela correa some questions about the band, her music, and the very awesome blue record they released.



have you met heather: correatown, obviously, is a take on your last name. but is there a story behind the actual genesis of "correatown?"

angela correa: The genesis of "correatown" the name is pretty silly, in that my friends and I used to add "town" and "city" onto the ends of words. Are you happy-towns? What's going on with snark-city over there? So it just became a funny nick name- Correatown, and when I was ready to form a band with some friends it sort of worked as a band name.

hymh: many listeners may be surprised to learn that correatown is more than just you - that the band actually has five members (rob poynter, mike corwin, jenni tarma, and joanie mendenhall round out the group). how does the group dynamic work?

angela: We're usually a four piece with an ever changing *guest* as the fifth member. Joanie Mendenhall and I have collaborated a lot in the past, so it's always easy for her to jump in and play/sing. Everyone in the band plays in different musical projects - for Correatown, I usually bring songs or recordings, and then we suss them out for our live performance. It's always the best scenario when we're able to record a song start to finish together but sometimes I'll have an idea and just work it all out in the studio, then we adapt it for our live shows. Playing with Rob, Mike and Jenni is pretty dreamy- they're all really talented musicians that bring lots of ideas to the group.

hymh: what led you to becoming a musician?

angela: I've always had music in my life. But it wasn't until college that it occurred to me that I could try and make music as what I did for a living. I never really had any examples of artists or musicians that I knew in my life. I met Gregory Page, a gifted musician and songwriter in San Diego- and he really inspired me to try playing music for real.

hymh: do you tend to draw from personal experience when writing your songs? or do ideas just come to you? what is your writing process like?

angela: I think I'm influenced by what's going on around me, including in my own life. Sometimes I write from personal experience but most often it's a mélange of memory, observation, and other people's stories. I think of songwriting as a filter for what I'm thinking about, and sometimes I find that a year after I write a song I can go back and pinpoint what was going on at the time in my life or with a situation.

As far as process goes, I often have melodies and music come first, and then I have to sit down and work out what the song is about. I love when it magically comes all at once... usually picking up an instrument and playing for a few hours without any expectation of a song coming from it makes that happen.

hymh: your latest EP, etch the line, is really a very lovely listen (and those blue albums are simply divine looking!). what's the story behind it?



angela: Thank you! I wanted to pull a few of the songs together that exemplify all the facets of our upcoming album with some remixes and alternate versions of songs- and anything on colored vinyl sort of makes me swoon. We'd been working on making and now releasing the album for so long I thought it would be cool to have a really special way to present the music, so 10-inch vinyl made sense to me.

hymh: you recently fundraised for your upcoming album, pleiades, and successfully passed your initial goal. what was that experience like?

angela: Fundraising for "Pleiades" was a really beautiful experience. I wasn't sure what to expect, and it's humbling to ask for help- Jenni and I spent a lot of time making the stop motion video- because we wanted it to reflect what we put into the music. The outpouring of support and encouragement was really inspiring. I'm so grateful to every person who contributed and to those who told their friends and shared our project, that's just as huge. It's sort of the way we find out about new things now, I think- community and sharing.

We have a TON of rewards to make and put together, in addition to just sending the album to everyone once it gets in from being pressed... but I love being able to make and send stuff personally to people that became a part of releasing the album in September with us. Pretty amazing.

hymh: many of the perks you offered people who donated to your project were homemade crafts. beyond music, what are some of your interests?

angela: I love to cook and bake. I'm a jack-of-all-trades really... I love to screen-print, sew, take photos, just incorporate art into life in all ways possible really. I'm hoping to start canning homemade pickles this Fall- carrots, okra, grapes, onions. I've also been on a bender reading about The Tudors and the lines of succession- it's fascinating to me.

All of us in the band are either into food or coffee or crafting. Jenni is a rad seamstress- she regularly sews dresses or gifts for people. Mike is a really talented woodworker - he's starting to make furniture for people. Rob is a great writer- and has a script in production.

hymh: what can listeners expect from pleiades? any hints about themes?

angela: For me the album is big hazy textured rumination on growing up, feeling like a part of something and looking inward all at once. Trying to figure out how you fit into the puzzle. I purposefully wanted it to feel inclusive at the same time- writing about "we" just as much as "I". It's not a love album by any means, although most people tend to assume that's what I'm always writing about.

hymh: any plans to tour this year?

angela: We're hoping to tour in the Fall to support the album... but I've found it a bit difficult over the past year to manage the costs of touring with a band (vs. solo). It's definitely on our *wish list* and we're always looking for a good support slot. I'd honestly be really into a house concert tour... I find those types of shows to be the most rewarding in every way. Intimate, fun, authentic plus you really get to meet people and get to know them, so when you go back you're visiting friends. I love that part of touring.

thanks, angela!

have a listen to shine right through, one of my favorites of off etch the line:

Shine Right Through by Correatown

plus, here's further, which is way too easy to put on repeat:

(mp3) further by correatown

racing tides isn't on either etch the line or pleiades, but it's such a summer song, so go ahead and let yourself wish you were at the beach:



buy etch the line HERE (c'mon now. you can't tell me you don't want that pretty blue piece of vinyl). pleiades will be released on september 20.